2009 Gateway to the Best Official Rules

The Gateway to the Best contest is an all-electronic contest. Entries will only be accepted via email; entries will not be accepted via postal service. Score sheets and comments will also be returned via email.

ELIGIBILITY:

Only writers and entries meeting ALL of the following requirements may enter this contest:

(a) all writers of the entry are unpublished and not contracted in novel-length fiction (over 40,000 words) within the last 3 years;

(b) this entry, whether revised in whole or in part, has not previously finaled in this contest in any category;

(c) each entry is only entered once in the contest. No alternate versions of the same manuscript may be entered in the same or different categories.

Very Important Note: If MORWA discovers the writer or the entry does not meet these requirements, the entry fee will be forfeited and non-refundable, and the entry will not be judged, critiqued, or returned.

The first 150 entries are guaranteed. Additional entries are subject to judge availability and coordinator sanity.

SUBMISSION CRITERIA:

Writer must submit up to the first 25 pages of manuscript in the following format:

(a) 12-pt Courier or Times New Roman font.

(b) double-spaced.

(d) no more than 25 lines per page.

(e) Header must include:

(i) name of entry,

(ii) first-choice category (see Judge & Category page), and

(iii) page number.

(f) Word (.doc) or rich text (.rtf) format.

(g) Author’s name may NOT be anywhere on manuscript.

SUBMISSION CHECKLIST: Writer must submit:

Writer must send SEPARATE entries for each manuscript entered. A complete submission package includes:

_______ Completed electronic entry form with all blanks filled in (one for each entry).

_______ Manuscript satisfying the submission criteria.

_______ Completed and correct Paypal electronic payment OR check or money order received prior to deadline. (One check/money order may be submitted for multiple entries.)

ENTRANCE FEE:

Non-MORWA members—$30 USD for first manuscript and

$15 USD for each additional manuscript.

MORWA members—$20 USD for first manuscript and

$10 USD for each additional manuscript.

To be eligible for MORWA fee, ALL authors of the manuscript must be MORWA members.

To be eligible for half-priced additional manuscripts, ALL authors on first manuscript and additional manuscript must be the same.

Paypal, personal check, or money order only. Entries will be disqualified if checks do not clear on first attempt. US currency only.

Personal checks and money orders must be received no later than September 11, 2009. Send to:

Gateway to the Best Contest
c/o Amanda Freeman, MORWA Treasurer
152 Birchwood Trail Dr.
Maryland Heights, MO 63403

DEADLINE:

ENTRY and PAYMENT must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. CDT on Friday, September 11, 2009.

Any entry received after 11:59 p.m. CDT on Friday, September 11, 2009 will be NOT be accepted. Please realize it may take several minutes (or longer) for your entry to be received through electronic means and any entry date stamped after the cut-off will not be accepted. To ensure your entry is received on time, please submit early.

Failure to meet the deadline will result in automatic forfeit of any monies paid, whether by check, money order, or Paypal. Payments will not be returned, refunded, or rolled over to subsequent years’ contests.

Contestants from outside the U.S. or Canada are urged to e-mail the contest coordinator prior to deadline to notify her of your entry.

JUDGING CRITERIA:

The Judge’s Score Sheet is provided at for your review via the link at the top of this page and on the main contest pages. Each entry will be scored by three judges, with the lowest score dropped from the final tabulations. Anonymously listed results of category scores will be provided after contest is completed, so entrants know where in the contest results their entry fell.

PRIZES:

First, second, and third places are awarded in each category. If insufficient entries are received in any category, categories may be combined.

The first place winners will each receive a certificate, a one-year membership to MORWA (e-mail newsletter only), the Gateway charm, and an electronic banner announcing the win for the author’s website.

The second place winners will each receive a certificate and a one-year membership to MORWA (e-mail newsletter only).

The third place winners will each receive a certificate.

Grand Prize:

The Grand Prize Winner will receive US $100, a full reading and critique of her entire manuscript by a MORWA Published Author, a certificate, and a "Gateway to the Best Grand Prize Winner" electronic banner announcing the win for the author’s website.

The Grand Prize will be awarded to the first-place entry that earned the highest overall score in the first round. In the event of a tie, the Grand Prize will be awarded to the entry with the highest score in characterization; if there is still a tie, the Grand Prize will be awarded to the entry with the highest score in the following categories (in order until there is no tie): dialogue, conflict, other story elements, and style and mechanics.

The Grand Prize Winner (“Winner”) will receive a Gateway Best of the Best certificate and a full reading and critique of her/his entire manuscript by one Published Author, including, but not limited to, Elizabeth Grayson, Charlotte Hubbard, Alexa Hunt, Shirl Henke, Megan Kelly, and Karyn Witmer.

Click here for more information about the Grand Prize

TIMELINE:

Submissions and payment must be received by 11:59 p.m., CST, September 11, 2009.

First round finalists will be notified around October 31, 2008.

Category winners and Grand Prize Winner will be notified by approximately December 10, 2009.

Grand Prize Winner will have one month to make corrections to the first 25 pages and send the entire manuscript no later than January 10, 2010 to Contest Coordinator. Awarding of Grand Prize will depend on Published Author’s schedule but will be completed within approximately four months of receipt of entire manuscript.

MISCELLANEOUS:

In the event that a circumstance arises that is not covered by the official rules, the final decision regarding the contest rests with the contest coordinator and MORWA's president.